Flat panel display device and method of manufacturing the same

ABSTRACT

A flat panel display device and a method of manufacturing the same. The method of manufacturing the flat panel display device includes: forming a display on a substrate; preparing an organic layer mask comprising a first mask body, a regulator extending from the first mask body and contacting the organic layer, and a tunnel having a space between the first mask body and the regulator; forming an organic layer covering the display in a region divided by the regulator of the organic layer mask, and condensing a part of the organic layer permeating through the tunnel; preparing an inorganic layer mask; and forming an inorganic layer covering the organic layers formed in the region divided by the regulator through the inorganic layer mask and in the tunnel.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/053,094, filed on Mar. 21, 2011, which claims the benefit of KoreanPatent Application No. 10-2010-0089923, filed on Sep. 14, 2010, in theKorean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which areincorporated herein in their entireties by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present disclosure relates to a flat panel display device having animproved encapsulation structure for preventing permeation of moisturefrom the outside and a method of manufacturing the flat panel displaydevice.

2. Description of the Related Technology

Flat panel display devices such as organic light emitting displaydevices may have thin and flexible structures, and much research hasbeen conducted into the further development thereof.

An organic light emitting display device generally includes a displaythat may deteriorate due to permeation of moisture, and thus, requiresan encapsulation structure for sealing the display to prevent permeationof moisture from an external environment. In most typical encapsulationstructures, a thin film encapsulation structure in which a display iscovered by a multi-layer including an organic layer and an inorganiclayer that are alternately stacked are used. That is, the organic layerand the inorganic layer are alternately stacked on the display of asubstrate, thereby sealing the display.

In such structures, the organic layer applies flexibility to the flatpanel display device, and the inorganic layer prevents permeation ofoxygen or moisture from the outside. Accordingly, in order to preventpermeation of oxygen or moisture from the outside, the organic layer isdisposed inside the flat panel display device to be adjacent to thedisplay, and the inorganic layer is disposed outside the flat paneldisplay device.

However, when stacking the organic and inorganic layers, an edge tail,which is an edge portion of the organic layer protruding more to theoutside than an edge portion of the inorganic layer, may be generated.Generally, when the organic layer and the inorganic layer are formed, amask may be put on a substrate so as to correspond to the correspondinglayer in order to form a pattern in the layer. The organic layerpermeates a gap between the mask and the substrate, thereby forming theedge tail. Oxygen or moisture permeates the display through the edgetail, thereby resulting in deterioration in performances of the flatpanel display device.

Removal of the gap between the mask and the substrate, which the organiclayer permeates, has been proposed, by scraping out a lower portion fromamong ends of the mask contacting a boundary portion of the organiclayer, that is, a portion contacting the substrate in an eaves shape.

However, in this case, since the mask does not distinctly regulate theboundary portion of the organic layer, there is still a possibility thatan edge tail is formed because an edge portion may flow out of theorganic layer.

Accordingly, in order to form an encapsulation structure that can beprotected against permeation of moisture and oxygen, there is a need todevelop a method for suppressing formation of the edge tail of theorganic layer.

SUMMARY OF CERTAIN INVENTIVE ASPECTS

The present disclosure provides a flat panel display device having animproved encapsulation structure capable of suppressing formation of anedge tail and a method of manufacturing the flat panel display device.

In one embodiment, there is provided a method of manufacturing a flatpanel display device, the method including: forming a display on asubstrate; preparing an organic layer mask including a first mask body,a regulator extending from the first mask body and contacting theorganic layer, and a tunnel having a space between the first mask bodyand the regulator; forming an organic layer covering the display in aregion divided by the regulator of the organic layer mask, andcondensing a part of the organic layer permeating through the tunnel;preparing an inorganic layer mask; and forming an inorganic layercovering the organic layers formed in the region divided by theregulator through the inorganic layer mask and in the tunnel.

The organic layer formed by depositing a liquid monomer on the displayand radiating UV light onto the deposited liquid monomer on the displayso as to polymerize the liquid monomer.

The inorganic layer mask may include a second mask body and an eave unitextending from the second mask body in an eaves shape.

The organic layer is formed of a material selected from the groupconsisting of polyurea and polyacrylate.

The inorganic layer is formed of a material selected from the groupconsisting of SiNx, Al2O3, SiO2, and TiO2.

In another embodiment, there is provided a flat panel display deviceincluding: a substrate; a display formed on the substrate; an organiclayer covering the display; an inorganic layer covering the organiclayer, wherein a part of the organic layer is formed as a condensor soas to be separated from the display.

The organic layer is formed of a material selected from the groupconsisting of polyurea and polyacrylate.

The inorganic layer is formed of a material selected from the groupconsisting of SiNx, Al2O₃, SiO₂, and TiO₂.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features and advantages will become more apparent bydescribing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to theattached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an embodiment of a flatpanel display device; and

FIGS. 2A through 2D are cross-sectional views illustrating an embodimentof a process for manufacturing an embodiment of the flat panel displaydevice of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE CERTAIN INVENTIVE EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference tothe attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an embodiment of a flatpanel display device 100.

Referring to FIG. 1, the flat panel display device 100 includes asubstrate 30, a display 20 that is formed on the substrate 30 anddisplays an image, and a thin film encapsulation layer 10 covering thedisplay 20.

The thin film encapsulation layer 10 includes an organic layer 11covering the display 20 and an inorganic layer 12 covering the organiclayer 11. The organic layer 11 provides flexibility to the flat paneldisplay device 100, and the inorganic layer 12 prevents permeation ofoxygen or moisture.

The organic layer 11 may be formed of an organic material havingflexibility, such as for example, polyurea, polyacrylate, or the like.

The inorganic layer 12 may be formed of an inorganic material havingdamp-proof property, such as for example, SiNx, Al2O₃, SiO₂, TiO₂, orthe like.

In some embodiments, part of the organic layer 11 may be formed as acondensor 11 a so as to be separated from the display 20. The condensor11 a can be generated during a process for forming the organic layer 11by using a distinctive organic layer mask 110 (see FIG. 2A). Thecondensor 11 a substantially becomes an outer boundary of the organiclayer 11, preventing the condensation in the organic layer 11 fromflowing to the outside.

The inorganic layer 12 covers the condensor 11 a and the entire organiclayer 11 so as to prevent permeation of oxygen or moisture from theoutside. The inorganic layer 12 covers the condensor 11 a which is theouter boundary portion, and the organic layer 11 thus does not include aportion that is exposed to the outside, such as an existing edge tail.Water vapor transmission resistance may thus be greatly improved.

Embodiments of the flat panel display device having the above-describedstructure may be manufactured through embodiments of the followingprocesses.

As illustrated in FIG. 2A, an organic layer mask 110 is formed on thesubstrate 30 on which the display 20 is formed. The organic layer mask110 includes a first mask body 111, a regulator 112, and a tunnel 113.The regulator 112 extends from the first mask body 111 and contacts theorganic layer 11 (not shown). The tunnel 113 is a space formed betweenthe first mask body 111 and the regulator 112.

A material for forming the organic layer 11, such as a polymer such aspolyurea or polyacrylate, is deposited. For ease of application, thepolymer may be made as a liquid monomer 11′ and then deposited. Ultraviolet (UV) light may then be radiated onto the liquid monomer 11′,thereby polymerizing the monomer to form a polymer.

As illustrated in FIG. 2B, the liquid monomer 11′ is deposited so as tocover the display 20. A part of the liquid monomer 11′ may permeatebetween the regulator 112 and the substrate 30, thereby forming acondensor 11 a′ inside the tunnel 113. Without the tunnel 113 beingformed, the liquid monomer 11′ may escape to the outside via a minutegap between the substrate 30 and the organic layer mask 110 due to acapillary phenomenon. However, the liquid monomer 11′ does not escape tothe outside because of the tunnel 113 formed between the first mask body111 and the regulator 112, and condenses therebetween. Thus, thecondensor 11 a′ becomes an outermost boundary portion of the liquidmonomer 11′ when forming the organic layer 11, and the liquid monomer11′ does not escape to the outside.

As illustrated in FIG. 2C, UV light is radiated onto the liquid monomer11′, the liquid monomer 11′ is polymerized to form a polymer, therebycompleting the organic layer 11. The condensor 11 a′ is also polymerizedto form a polymer.

As illustrated in FIG. 2D, an inorganic layer mask 120 is formed on thesubstrate 30. The inorganic layer mask 120 includes a second mask body121 and an eave unit 122 extending from the second mask body 121 in aneave shape. A lower portion of the eave unit 122 has a shape cavedtoward the second mask body 121, and thus the inorganic layer 12 may beformed over a wide region including the lower portion of the eave unit122. The inorganic layer 12 is formed on the organic layer 11 bysputtering a material such as SiNx, Al2O₃, SiO₂, or TiO₂ for forming theinorganic layer 12, through the inorganic layer mask 120. The inorganiclayer 12 is formed up to the lower portion of the eaves unit 122, andthus covers the condensor 11 a and the entire organic layer 11.

Accordingly, an outer portion of the thin film encapsulation layer 10 iscovered by the inorganic layer 12 having an excellent damp proofproperty, and the organic layer 11 is not exposed to the outside,thereby realizing a thin film encapsulation layer 10 having an extremelystable water vapor transmission resistance.

An outer boundary of the organic layer 11 is distinctly distinguished upto the condensor 11 a by using the organic layer mask 110, and then thecondensor 11 a and the entire organic layer 11 are covered by theinorganic layer 12, thereby alleviating the problem of an existing edgetail. A property deterioration problem of the display 20 due topermeation of oxygen or moisture may be remarkably improved.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and describedwith reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understoodby those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form anddetails may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scopeof the present invention as defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An intermediate product prepared in manufacturinga flat panel display device, the intermediate product comprising: asubstrate; a display on a portion of the substrate; an organic layer onthe display; a condenser on the substrate, the condenser formed of asame material as the organic layer, and serving as an outermost boundaryportion of said material; an inorganic layer covering the organic layerand the condenser, such that the organic layer is not exposed; and aninorganic layer mask formed on the substrate, the inorganic layer maskcomprising: a mask body not covering the inorganic layer, and an eaveextending from the mask body in an eave shape.
 2. The intermediateproduct of claim 1, wherein the material includes a liquid monomer. 3.The intermediate product of claim 1, wherein a lower portion of the eaveis caved toward the mask body.
 4. The intermediate product of claim 3,wherein the inorganic layer is formed up to the lower portion of theeave.
 5. The intermediate product of claim 1, wherein the eave extendsover the condenser without contacting the condenser.